Chapter 13: Chapter 13

•Yusuf•

Let say the meeting with Aisha didn't go as he planned. He wanted to ask to her to marry him since he is ready or so he thought.

"I have moved on and you need too. I have my Suls now and we are taking everything slow, to cut the chase he sent his parents already"she had told him.

"Is he a musician because I know they are the ones that always come up with names like that" he joked masking his emotions.

Way to deal with pain niggar.

"No, his name is Sulaiman. I prefer calling him Suls" She had replied shyly.

He called khalil telling him he is done and will be waiting for him in a supermarket.

He entered the shop picking a cart by the side. The supermarket is not big nor small.

He looked around the supermarket searching for kid toys. He picked a big pink doll for khalil's daughter hoping she will like it.

"I think she will like this too"he muttered touching a doll house.

"How old is she" a voice said behind him. He met a lady standing very close and that made he shift. "I am asking so that I can help you choose because I can see you are not used to this whole thing"she added waving her hands in the air.

"Erhmmm.... I think she should be around three or four"he told her and she walked over the doll house she thinks to be perfect for a three years old.

"This will do. Is she your daughter"

"No. Someone I know"he replied collecting it from her. Their hands brushed and you could swear he felt electroshocked.

"My name is Maryam "she told him and he nodded. "Yusuf"

"Do you happen to stay here?" She asked hoping to strike a conversation, after all she loves making new friends. "No" he replied.

"Collect her number niggar, she is obviously into you"khalil said showing himself to the light. "I am his friend so you are safe" he told the lady as he sees her expression changed.

Yusuf passed her his phone and she punched her phone number. "Bye" she left to the cashier to make her payment.

"Guy, did you see the way she was drooling over you?"Khalil questioned.

"I can't see and feel, remember?" He replied sarcastically and khalil laughed.

He continued the shopping together with khalil.

"I forgot to get ice cream and corn for pop corn. We are having a movie night today." Khalil said leaving Yusuf alone at the pay counter.

He finished everything at the counter before moving to the car waiting for khalil.

"Let's go. I didn't get the ice cream"khalil explained roaring the poor car to life. "So how did the meeting end?" He added.

"She has someone she likes or should I say loves. They are taking things to the next level I think. I just have to give up. "He informed him.

"I guess the supermarket girl is in"

"Yes. I will give her a try but I am not giving it my all"he concurred. Trying something new won't hurt at least as long as there is no string attached.

"Just don't forget to give her call and I mean tonight" Khalil yelled entering the house.

He ignored khalil and made his way to the room. He did his business and returned to meet a tray filled with food waiting for him with a sticky note attached to it.

'I am serious guy, give her a call and the morning train leaves at 9:30 AM. Goodnight'

He called the supermarket girl after he was done eating, he won't want to get an earful from khalil in the morning. The girl picked after the third ring and her voice sounds different to him. Like she is not the one.

He is not the picky type when it comes to general things but he has to be picky when it is about searching for a life partner.

And the supermarket girl didn't match what he is looking for in a lady. She sounds so desperate.

He checked his emails and replied the necessary ones before dozing off. He is going to have a long day tomorrow.

__

The sun ray shone into the room making cover his face with the blanket. He groaned between whispering a Dua and moving to the bathroom.

He called his parents to inform them about his returning. He wished things didn't end this way.

He loves Aisha so much but he made the mistake and now he is paying for it. He promised not to let anyone see the other side of him, the side fill with painful emotions.

He met khalil sipping hot cocoa tea on the balcony. "Are you not going back home today" Yusuf asked sitting close to him.

"Nah, I have things to take care of here. Are you ready so that I will drop you off at the train station"

He nodded picking his bag pack and his laptop bag. Khalil drove to the train station telling him about how his movie night went.

"Ummi slept through out the movie"he said and Yusuf nodded. "Is that not your supermarket girl?"Khalil questioned pointing at two ladies sitting with a child on her hand.

"She is not mine and she has a name you know"

And indeed it was Maryam sitting with a lady he doesn't know. They walked towards them.

Maryam recognized them from afar and she told her sister about them. "Hey, Maryam right?" khalil inquired.

"Yes" Came Maryam's short reply.

They say together talking about random things while Maryam's sister kept stealing glances at Yusuf.

"Yusuf, I have to tell you something." She said and he nods his head indicating she should go on.

"I am married and this is my child"she pointed at the baby. " You see, I saw you finding it hard to pick a particular doll house and I decided to help you."she added.

Both Yusuf and khalil were both shocked, especially khalil. He felt bad for convincing his friend to give a married woman chance.

"And my sister was the person that picked your call yesterday"she told them before boarding for the train.

She left them trying to put the puzzle together.